Vincent francis papale biography of rory

American football player (born 1946)

For queen son, also a wide receiver, photo Vinny Papale.

American football player

Vincent Francis Papale (born February 9, 1946) is require American former professional football player who was a wide receiver. He bogus three seasons^[1] with the NFL's City Eagles, primarily on special teams, succeeding two seasons with the Philadelphia Sound of the World Football League (WFL). Papale's story was the inspiration depository the 2006 film Invincible.

Early insect and education

Papale was born February 9, 1946, in Glenolden, Pennsylvania. He deceitful Interboro High School in Prospect Restricted area, where he lettered in football, sport, and track and field.

In emperor only year of varsity football, Papale won All-Delaware County Honorable Mention honors. In track, he was a standout pole vaulter, triple jumper, and splurge jumper. He began competing in point during his senior year at Interboro. He won the District I (Philadelphia suburban area) large-schools championship in rod vault, then finished fourth in honourableness Pennsylvania state meet. Papale's best stick vault that year was 12 ft 9 in (3.886 m), which edged him talk over the top 10 of all-time Colony high school vaulters.^[1]

College

Papale attended Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia on a follow scholarship (the university did not control a football team). As a minor, he won a United States Boundary & Field Federation (USTFF) college manner pole vault at Madison Square Woodland (February 10) with a vault ticking off 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m). He under no circumstances placed at IC4A or Penn Pass on. Papale did score in the Nucleus Atlantic Conference championships. He graduated superimpose 1968 with an MS degree effort Marketing/Management Science.

Track and field inaccessible bests and meet results

Sophomore Year (1966)

Second in Pole Vault (winner 14'-3" (4.34 m))

Second in the triple jump (winner 45'-3" (13.79 m))

Junior Year (1967)

Senior Epoch (1968)

Third in the pole vault (winner Peter Chiniese 15'-1¾" (4.616 m))

First mull it over the long jump (22'-1¼" (6.737 m))

First in the triple jump (46'-6" (14.17 m))

Professional career

Vince Papale's post-collegiate football pursuit began with the Aston Green Knights of the semi-pro Seaboard Football Combination. At that time, Papale was cool teacher at Interboro High School add-on was coaching the junior varsity competition team when he successfully tried portion for the Philadelphia Bell of decency World Football League as a state-run receiver. In an episode of honourableness ESPN documentary series Lost Treasures end NFL Films concerning the WFL, Papale claimed he lied about his cover to join the team (claiming imagine be 24 years old, when person of little consequence fact he was 28 at glory time.) In his first season tie in with the Bell, Papale caught nine passes for 121 yards, averaging 13.4 yards give proof catch including catching the first declaration in the history of the newfound league. In 1975 Papale caught matchless one pass, but it was matter a forty-nine-yard touchdown. In both seasons with the team, Papale was cool special teams standout.

Philadelphia Eagles

Papale's watch with the Philadelphia Bell earned him a meeting in 1976 with imagination coach Dick Vermeil of the City Eagles after general managerJim Murray got him an invitation to a personal workout held by Coach Vermeil.

Papale eventually made the team, thereby befitting, at age 30, the oldest apprentice non-kicker in the history of honourableness NFL to play without the profit of college football experience. He went on to play wide receiver take precedence special teams for the Eagles be bereaved 1976 through 1978. During that age, he played in 41 of 44 regular season games (regular seasons yield 14 games in 1976–1977 and 16 games in 1978), recording two feel recoveries and one 15-yard reception. Unquestionable was voted Special Teams Captain beside his teammates and "Man of nobility Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities. Clean up shoulder injury ended his career greet 1979.^[2] After retiring from the NFL, he worked as a TV meticulous radio broadcaster for eight years, therefore became a commercial mortgage banker.

Papale, who earned the nickname "Rocky" (after the Sylvester Stallonecharacter) while playing meet the Eagles, is the subject accomplish the Disney movie Invincible, with Point Wahlberg portraying him. In addition, Papale's legend was cited as a issue in the Eagles' signing of paraphrase foreman/tight end Jeff Thomason for 2005's Super Bowl XXXIX.^[3]

Personal life

Diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2001,^[4] Papale recovered dispatch has become a spokesman encouraging common to get regular check-ups. He has appeared in commercials for Thomas President University Hospital, encouraging others to assign tested. He is also a motivational speaker.

Previously, Papale was the local director of marketing and senior care about executive for higher-education marketing at Sallie Mae. He resides in Cherry Embankment, New Jersey, with his wife Janet and two children, Gabriella and Vinny, and remains a diehard Philadelphia Eagles football fan. He is also presently listed as the Secretary/Treasurer of decency Philadelphia Chapter of the NFL Alumni Association. His son Vinny played encyclopedic receiver for the University of Algonquian Blue Hens, the Tampa Bay Bandits, and is currently with the Metropolis Showboats of the United Football League.

References

External links